Messiah /

Messiah /

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Bibliographic Details
Author / Creator:	Handel, George Frideric, 1685-1759.
Other Authors / Creators:	Mann, Alfred, 1917-2006. librettist. Jennens, Charles, 1700-1773,
Format:	Musical Score
Language:	English
Imprint:	New York : Dover, 1989.
Subjects:	Jesus Christ > Songs and music. Jesus Christ. Oratorios > Scores. Scores. Songs. Music. Songs and music.

Description
Summary:	The best-known and most beloved large-scale musical work in the English-speaking world, Messiah was first performed in Dublin over 200 years ago to benefit local charities. Since that time, it has given millions of performers their primary experience in singing classical music. Today it is the supreme example of the English oratorio. A meditation on the life of Christ, the work is a brilliant amalgam of traditional Italian opera, English anthem, and German Passion. Reprinted from the authoritative edition prepared by noted musical scholar Alfred Mann, this inexpensive, full-score edition will be welcomed by students, musicians, singers, and music lovers who will want to study and savor every detail of this glorious masterpiece.
Item Description:	English words. Libretto by Charles Jennens, taken from the Bible and Prayer book Psalter. Reprint. Originally published: New Brunswick, N.J. : Rutgers, the State University, 1959-65 (Rutgers University documents of music ; no. 6) Includes critical commentary with bibliographical references.
Physical Description:	1 score (x, 226 pages) ; 31 cm
ISBN:	0486260674
Author Notes:	George Frideric Handel was born in Halle, Germany on February 23, 1685. As a youth, he became an accomplished harpsichordist and organist, studied violin and oboe, and mastered composing for the organ, the oboe, and the violin by the time he was 10 years old. In 1704, he made his debut as an opera composer with Almira. During his stay in Italy from 1706 to 1710, he composed several operas including Rodrigo and Agrippina and several dramatic chamber works, which helped establish his early success. In London, Handel composed Rinaldo, which was released during the 1710-1711 London opera season and became his breakthrough work. After Handel released Rinaldo, he spent the next few years writing and performing for English royalty, including Queen Anne and King George I. In 1719, he accepted the position of Master of the Orchestra at the Royal Academy of Music, the first Italian opera company in London. He became a naturalized British citizen in 1726. He eventually formed his own company, calling it the New Royal Academy of Music in 1727. When Italian opera fell out of style in London, he started creating oratorios Handel's musical output was prodigious. He wrote 46 operas including Julius Caesar and Berenice; 33 oratorios including The Messiah; 100 Italian solo cantatas; and numerous orchestral works. In 1751 Handel suffered a sight impairment that led to total blindness by 1753. Nonetheless, he continued to conduct performances of his works. He died April 14, 1759 at the age of 74. (Bowker Author Biography)